Practical Tips - UK Immigration Rules and Requirements
All you need is a passport
Visiting the UK is usually relatively straightforward for US citizens, requiring only a valid US passport for anyone visiting for leisure or tourism purposes.
In fact, everyone who does not have the right to live in the UK requires a visa to enter, however, for certain countries (including the US), this happens very quickly at the airport when you arrive. You will be asked a few questions by an immigration officer who will then put a stamp in your passport. This stamp is your visa. The short interview is required to make sure that you are not coming to the UK to live or work, so don’t be offended by the questions! For most people, it takes less than a minute. The officer may take some notes. This is a normal and helps officials to reconcile the Immigration Officer’s findings with any later applications or claims you might make during your visit to the UK. Again, this will never affect most people. The visitor visa usually lasts for six months but expires when you leave the UK. They are not normally extended beyond six months.
If you have a history of visiting the UK often and for extended periods, you may be subject to a longer, more probing interview. This is because your travel history indicates that you are visiting for purposes other than vacation!
For full details, you can visit the official UK Visas site.
If you need to renew or apply for a US passport, be sure to check out the US gov’t official passports page for details on how to apply, what documents you need, what types of phots are acceptable and how much it will cost. Plan to apply at least one month before you travel and preferably earlier. Otherwise you might end up paying for expedited processing. Remember that everyone in your party, including infants, will need their own passport. The new, cheaper Passport Card that has recently been made available is NOT adequate for travel to the UK and Europe. It is intended for people who regularly cross the Canadian or Mexican borders.
